1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a kind of keyboard, more particularly, a kind of keyboard that is used for notebook computers, characterized in that the dividing mechanism of the sealing layer is designed to break up the totality of the sealing layer, thus solving the condition of distortion caused by the different thermal expansion coefficients of the bottom board and the sealing layer adhered thereon due to temperature change, so as to maintain the smoothness of the keyboard, and expedite the assembly process.
2. Description of Related Art
A general notebook computer 10, as shown in FIG. 1, mainly comprises a screen 20, a keyboard 30 and a casing 40; wherein the screen 20 and the casing 40 are integrally connected via the hinge mechanism. The keyboard 30 is installed on the casing 40, wherein a motherboard adhered on the surface with CPU and other electronic units is contained; the motherboard is located under the keyboard 30.
The keyboard 30 is assembled with components including a plurality of keys 31, a bottom board having upturning edges 37, a rubber layer 33 and a circuit board layer 34, assembled as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, then the assembled keyboard is to be installed on the casing 40.
The composition of the keyboard 30 is to be further elaborated in accordance with FIG. 4 to FIG. 8.
FIG. 4 shows the condition where the sealing layer 38 of the keyboard 30 detaching (not being adhered) from the bottom board 35 containing the key 31, wherein the shape of the sealing layer 38 is largely correspondent to that of the bottom board 35. The sealing layer 38 can be made of soft or hard plastic material. Please continue refer to FIG. 5, which shows that a plurality of apertures 36, formed via the means of pressure-punching, are installed on the bottom board 35 in FIG. 4, and during the process of pressure-punching, lugs are also formed to lock and fix the rubber layer 33 and the circuit board layer 34 (not shown in figures). The bottom board 35 and the sealing layer 38, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, are to be adhered together by gluing on the lower surface of the bottom board 35 or on the upper surface of the sealing layer 38, thus the sealing layer 38 is to be adhered to the lower surface of the bottom board 35, as shown in FIG. 6. The baking procedure is to be executed on the keyboard 30 that includes the sealing layer 38, for the glue between the sealing layer 38 and the bottom board 35 has to be solidified to closely adhere the two; the keyboard 30 after the baking procedure is shown in FIG. 2. Through the cross-sectional views of FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, it is to be thoroughly understood that the keyboard 30 mainly includes the keys 31, rubber layer 33, circuit board layer 34, bottom board 35 and the sealing layer 38. Since the composition of the keyboard 30 is of conventional art, it is no need to describe the detailed structure thereof here.
The notebook computer 10 (please refer to FIG. 1), with the convenient features of lighter weight and smaller volume, thus easy to be carried around, demands higher price than that of desktop computers. In order to avoid the situation that the expensive notebook computer being easily damaged when the user, while operating the notebook computer, accidentally pours liquid onto the keyboard 30, the conventional keyboard 30 is installed with the sealing layer 38 on the lower surface of the bottom board 35, therefore making the keyboard 30 a waterproof keyboard, for the purpose of stopping the liquid poured in from flowing through the apertures 36 of the bottom board 35 down to the circuit board. By using the sealing layer 38 to seal the apertures 36 of the bottom board 35, it is to be assured that the circuit board is not to be damaged by the liquid dripping down from the apertures 36 of the bottom board 35, and the normal operation of the notebook computer is to be maintained.
The bottom board 35 that contains the keys 31, since it is designed to receive the force from the user""s pushing the keys 31, should be made of rigid and durable material, like metal, so as to prevent the keyboard 30 from being distorted and deformed; as to the sealing layer 38, it should especially be made of lamellar waterproofing material, thus not to increase the overall thickness.
However, because glue is used for adhering the sealing layer 38 onto the lower surface of the bottom board 35, with the sizes of the sealing layer 38 and the bottom board 35 being at least 10 cmxc3x9727 cm, the different thermal expansion coefficients for both materials, after being through the baking procedure, are to cause distortion due to the temperature change, as shown in FIG. 9, wherein it is different from the horizontal smoothness of the bottom board shown by FIG. 7. Thus a height difference D emerges between the upturned edges of the keyboard 30 and the horizontal line 32 parallel to the bottom board 35. The distorted keyboard 30 is of a flawed product that may adversely affect the precision during assembly, thus causing difficulty during assembly.
The object of the present invention is to provide a kind of keyboard for notebook computers, mainly by using the dividing mechanism of the sealing layer to break up the totality of the sealing layer, thus solving the distortion caused by different thermal expansion coefficients of the bottom board and the sealing layer adhered thereon due to temperature change, so as to maintain the smoothness of the keyboard and expedite the assembly process.
To achieve the above mentioned object, the keyboard of the present invention at least includes a bottom board, installed with a plurality of apertures, that contains keys, and a sealing layer adhered to the lower surface of the bottom board; at least one dividing means, which may be a mechanism or, without limitation, a structure such as a groove, aperture, or slit, being installed on the sealing layer, with the dividing means being installed between the apertures so as to avoid the locations of the apertures installed on the bottom board and thereby maintain the aperture seals.
Preferably, the sealing layer consists of one layer in the form of a lamella, the dividing means installed thereon being in the form of apertures or grooves.
Alternatively, the sealing layer may consist of at least two layers in the form of lamellas, the dividing means installed thereon being in the form of slits.
The shapes of the apertures, grooves or slits in the dividing mechanism are not to be restricted.
The structure of the dividing means is not to be restricted.